BayWa documentary on the "50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders" published

27.04.2021

The United Nations and Bloomberg have selected BayWa as one of "50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders" worldwide for its activities in sustainability and climate protection. The film, which has now been released, takes a look at how BayWa, as a traditional conglomerate in the agriculture, energy and building materials segments is driving the industry forward through sustainable innovation. 

 

"It is very important that people understand that you are involved in sustainability and the challenges of the climate situation," says Prof. Klaus Josef Lutz, CEO of BayWa AG, in the film. "The first step is to understand what the challenge is. The second step is to have the courage to develop maybe unusual answers and then implement those answers into concrete action."

 

In Heggelbach at Lake Constance, where BayWa r.e. has built one of the first research facilities for agri-PV, the film shows that it is possible to build solar panels over agricultural land. "The system provides shade, reduces water consumption and supplies electricity at the same time," says Stephan Schindele, head of Agri-PV at BayWa r.e. The solution can thus be part of the strategy for farmers to adapt to global warming.

 

In addition, the film documents activities of the company's subsidiary T&G Global, which is launching a climate change-resistant apple variety that is reliable in terms of yield and quality even in dry and hot climates.

 

The film also takes viewers to a traditional arable farm in Bavaria, which uses satellite data-based application maps from BayWa to carry out efficient and targeted fertilizer application. The smart service can protect areas with low yield potential from unnecessary nutrient input.

 

The commitment to greater transparency and sustainability in the value chain is embodied in the film by Dutch subsidiary Cefetra, which developed the Certified Responsible Soya (CRS) standard in 2008 to make global soy supply chains more sustainable. "Obtaining the CRS certificate was very important for us because it documents our good and responsible practices. It also encourages us to use the latest agronomic practices and try to be more productive and reduce our environmental footprint," reports Nicolás Caranci, executive of Cosufi SA in Argentina, a Cefetra supplier.

 

Through the film, BayWa gets the opportunity to showcase its pioneering role in sustainability and climate protection globally.